Wrinkles, fine lines, jowls, loose and saggy skin, facial volume loss, thinning skin—these are things none of us can hide from, but that doesn’t mean we can’t prevent or reverse them, especially with the technology we have today.
And that’s precisely what a facelift at Chicago Aesthetic Surgery Institute can do for you and your skin.
What Is a Facelift?
Also known as a rhytidectomy or meloplasty, facelift surgery removes excess skin and fat from the face to lift, tighten, smooth and improve the appearance of facial features. It effectively reduces and eliminates common signs of aging to make you look younger and healthier.
Several variations of facelift surgery produce beautiful, natural-looking results when performed by a competent, experienced, passionate surgeon. Stefan Szczerba, MD, at Chicago Aesthetic Surgery Institute and Medspa, is extraordinarily talented and consistently delivers excellent facelift results.
How Does Facelift Surgery Work?
Facelift surgery involves making a series of incisions that usually begin at the temples and continue around the ear before ending in the lower scalp. A second incision can be made under the chin to further improve the neck’s signs of aging. The exact extent of the incisions varies from one patient to the next. Patients seeking a less dramatic transformation can undergo a ‘mini facelift’ (also known as a ‘weekend facelift’), which uses smaller incisions around the ear.
Once the incisions are made, your surgeon can reposition, reshape, tighten and lift the underlying facial tissues and muscles as needed. Excess skin is then trimmed, and the remaining skin is gently pulled into its new position to smooth the skin out. The incision site is then stitched up using traditional or dissolvable sutures (stitches) to initiate the recovery process. As the incision continues to heal, it’ll become less and less visible to the naked eye.
Introducing the Stem Cell Facelift
At Chicago Aesthetic Surgery Institute and Medspa, we’re always looking for new and improved ways to give our patients the results they want, and the stem cell facelift is one of the latest examples. Stem cells are a particular type of cell that can develop into a wide range of different cells with different functions, including muscle cells, blood cells, and brain cells – they’re basically the jack of all trades.
A stem cell facelift involves removing these stem cells from the body (usually through liposuction of the abdomen or thigh areas) and injecting them into certain areas of the face to stimulate collagen production.
Here’s what Dr. Stefan Szczerba had to say about the procedure:
“During the process of liposuction, we save the fat, take the fat and prepare it for grafting by removing the fluid. The stem cells, along with other grafted fat cells, are then injected into the face,” he says. “You can actually see the surface of the skin change – similar to something that a chemical peel or a laser peel could accomplish, and you’ll actually see the change in your cheek area.”
What Are the Benefits & Risks of a Facelift?
A facelift takes ten years off a patient’s appearance and helps them look as young on the outside as they feel on the inside. It helps patients feel more confident in the workplace, more comfortable in social situations, and more content with everyday life—in other words, it’ll make you feel like a new person.
Some of the primary benefits include:
- A more youthful appearance in the face
- No more excess skin and fat in the neck, chin, and jawline (jowls)
- Reduces the appearance of wrinkles and lines (smoother skin)
- Tighten muscles in the face
- Eliminate deep creases and lines around the nose and mouth areas
- Improve the overall contour of the face
- Make the patient feel more confident in themselves
Facelift results are very long-lasting (approximately 10 to 15 years for a traditional facelift or 5-6 years for a mini facelift). They may last even longer if the patient takes the necessary steps to reduce aging. Risks of facelifts include infection, hematoma and anesthesia-related complications. Some unfavorable scarring on the face could also occur, but that generally only occurs with an inexperienced or unlicensed surgeon—something our patients will never have to worry about at Chicago Aesthetic Surgery Institute.
Our highly skilled, trained and experienced surgeon, Dr. Stefan Szczerba pays very close attention to the position of the incisions to avoid unsightly scars and ensure a more natural and desired result.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Facelift Surgery?
Like any other cosmetic surgery today, it’s important to understand that not every patient is a good candidate for facelift surgery, and some people may need to find an alternative solution.
Suitable facelift candidates usually have at least one of the following signs of aging on the face:
- Sagging in the cheek area
- Creasing below the eyes
- Creases from the nose to the corners of the mouth (nasolabial folds)
- Displaced fat deposits
- A “double chin” or excess fat/loose skin under the jaw
Ideal Chicago facelift candidates are men and women in good physical health who do not smoke (or can quit smoking for several weeks before and after the procedure) and who do not have medical conditions that impair healing. As always, patients should have reasonable and realistic expectations of the surgery.
Understanding the Facelift Procedure: Step by Step
The facelift procedure can take anywhere from one to five hours, depending on the extent of the surgery. For example, a mini facelift is usually completed in 1-2 hours, while a traditional facelift takes 2-5 hours.
It’s almost always performed on an outpatient basis, meaning it can be done in the comfort of our Chicago office, a more relaxed and calm environment than the hospital.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what patients can expect from the procedure:
Before Your Procedure
Facelift surgery always begins with a consultation to determine whether you’re a good fit for the procedure. Your surgeon will then run you through the process to ensure there are no surprises when the day finally comes.
In the weeks leading up to the procedure, we will give you a list of detailed pre-op instructions that may include quitting smoking, eating a well-balanced diet, staying hydrated, limiting alcohol consumption, stopping certain medications and making arrangements (time off work, someone to drive you home, etc.). Any temporary health conditions (cold, flu, illness) could delay the beginning of the procedure.
During the Procedure
Prior to your facelift surgery, your surgeon, Dr. Szczerba will have a licensed anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist administer local or general anesthesia to eliminate any pain or discomfort during surgery.
He then uses a marker as a guide for the incisions before cutting and creating a flap in the skin. Through these incisions, your surgeon accesses the deeper layers of the face—the SMAS, muscles and soft tissues that make up the Superficial Muscular Aponeurotic System.
These layers are then tightened, lifted, and secured into place, and if needed, we may use liposuction on the neck and jowls. Either way, the goal remains the same— elevating the face’s structures into a more youthful-looking arrangement and adjusting the facial volume to look healthy and supple. After your surgeon has made the proper adjustments and the skin has been lifted, the incisions are closed with the use of sutures (AKA stitches) and the head is loosely bandaged to promote the healing process.
After the Procedure
The recovery process will vary from patient to patient, but most patients should expect to take one to two weeks off from work to allow the incisions to heal and the effects of the lift to settle properly.
That said, it could take several months before your face feels ‘normal’ again.
Bruising and swelling are normal after the facelift procedure, and Dr. Szczerba will provide the pain medication and support garments you’ll need to relieve any excess discomfort and help your new facial contours settle properly.
We advise our patients to rest and relax as much as possible post-surgery and avoid any strenuous activity or exercise during the recovery process. You’ll be able to begin incorporating activity back into your routine and return to the regular day-to-day regimen when your surgeon gives the green light to do so.
Why Choose Chicago Aesthetic Surgery Institute?
Anyone who is interested in undergoing facelift surgery should double-check that their surgeon is not only board-certified but that they have an extensive amount of experience performing facelift surgeries. Here at Chicago Aesthetic Surgery Institute, patients can rest easy knowing that our surgeon, Dr. Stefan Szczerba, is double board-certified and a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
We value open and honest patient-doctor communication, and take the time, energy, and effort to not only understand our patient’s needs, but ensure you’re receiving the best care possible. Our facility is designed with patient safety and comfort in mind, officially being accredited by The Joint Commission. You can have confidence that Chicago Aesthetic Surgery Institute is the best place to get a facelift in the country.
Schedule Your Initial Consultation With CASI Today!
If you would like to schedule a consultation with our team to discuss your wants and needs, please don’t hesitate to call Chicago Aesthetic Surgery Institute and Medspa today at (847) 853-9900 or click here to book online.
During your appointment, our highly experienced surgeons and assistants can also evaluate you for various other procedures, such as eyelid surgery, brow lift, neck lift, or rhinoplasty in Chicago. They can also inform you about some of our minimally invasive treatments, such as Chicago Ultherapy.
As always, we can’t wait to meet you and are excited to show you what we are capable of!